Portable dispensing bin



May 9, 1967 a. D. JONES ET AL 3,318,473

PORTABLE DIS PENS ING B IN Filed Aug. 11, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS Benjamin 0. Jones Robert 5. Wheeler BY v M ATTORNEY May 9, 1967 B. D. JONES ET AL 3,318,473

PORTABLE DISPENSING BIN Filed Aug. 11, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSBenjamin 0. Jones Robert E. Wheeler BY Mam Jim/L ATTORNEY May 9, 1967 B.D. JONES ET AL PORTABLE DIS PENS ING BIN Filed Aug. 11, 1964 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Benjamin 0. Robert E. Wheeler INVENTORS Jones ATTORNEYMay 9, 1967 e. 0. JONES ETAL PORTABLE DISPENSING BIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Aug. 11, 1964 Mr L a I n INVENTORS mw w 0 A J 8 h W .mE I my mw BRE BY May 9, 1967 B. D. JONES ET AL 3,318,473

PORTABLE DISPENSING BIN Filed Aug. 11, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I 1 I E; wJ l i fl l I I r=- q I xx/ A? L a 1 (U lq y 2' b;

INVENTQRS Benjamin 0. JOI78$ Robert E. Wheeler corporating features ofthis invention,

United States Patent Filed Aug. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 388,831 Claims. (Cl.214-621) This invention relates generally to portable dispensing bins,and more particularly it pertains to a novel portable dispensing binwith improved handling and dispensing features.

In the handling and shipping of granular and pulverulent materials, ithas become the practice to use dispensing types of bins to preventobnoxious and sometimes (in the case of toxic materials) dangerousspillage and loss of the contents.

Such bins must be light and compact so as to be stackable andeconomically shipped. Further, these bins should be easily handled withthe minimum of equipment and maneuvering and capable of discharging bygravity into a wide variety of receptacles, vehicles, and the like.

Objects of this invention are to provide a portable dispensing bin whichis totally enclosed, compact and lightweight, and can be lifted to themaximum above the ultimate range of a common fork lift vehicle for highstacking and dispensing with safety and ease.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable dispensing binwhich can be elevated by crane hoist for lowering into holds offreighters, and the like, and in which the lifting eyes function asinter-bin keys to prevent cargo shifts.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will becomemore readily apparent and understood from the following detailedspecification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a portable dispensing bin inshown beingelevated by a common fork lift vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the novel dispensing bin of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, to a larger scale, of the dispensing bin;

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of a sliding gate for the dispensingbin;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation, similar to FIG. 3 but taken at right anglesthereto;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3, with the gatebeing shown 'in an open position;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail section of the gate arrangement taken online 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detail section taken on line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a bin corner showing analternate lifting eye arrangement;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal section taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a vertical section taken on line 1111 of FIG. 9 and showingan interlocking feature between stacked bins;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary detail of a leg showing the interlocking slot;and

FIG. 13 is a view similar to that of FIG. 11 showing the adaption toanother type of lifting lug.

Referring now to the details of the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1, 2,and 3, reference numeral 20 indicates generally a portable dispensingbin incorporating features of this invention. This dispensing bin 20consists of a square sheet metal box 22 having a bottom in the form of asquare hopper 24.

3,318,473- Patented May 9, 1967 The truncated apex of the hopper 24 isprovided with a sliding gate 26, shown best in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5. Thebox 22 is provided with an integral top 28, the center of which has a.circular flanged opening for a standard metal barrel closure or cover30, illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5.

Angular, tapered, legs 32 of sheet metal are secured to the corners ofthe box 22. On a point near the lower ends of these legs 32 on a levelwith the sliding gate 26, a pair of spaced parallel guide channels 34for a fork lift are securely welded, open side downward to the underside of a pair of cross braces 35, as shown best in FIG. '3'.

Similarly mounted on top of these channels 34, another pair of spacedguide channels 36 are provided at right angles to the first for engagingthe prongs of a fork lift from the other sides of the bin 20, as shownin FIG. 1.

Short plates 38 as shown in FIG. 1, 2, and 3, are welded across thebottom edges of the lowermost channels 34 to form open tubular sectionsat their ends. These plates 38 are unnecessary for the uppermost guides36 since the tops of the lower channels 34 perform the same function forthem.

The sliding gate 26 is made of sheet metal formed with side flanges 4t)and a flange handle 42 as shown in FIG. 4. It is also provided with apair of parallel spaced stiffener angles 44. Since this gate 26 is madelong, the handle 42 can be easily reached and safely manipulated withoutthe necessity of the operator crawling beneath the suspended bin. Thegate 26 is slidably retained in a horizontal position in a gate supportframe 46 welded to the lower open end of the hopper 24 as best shown inFIGS. 7 and 8. This frame 46 includes side baffles 48, also a rearsupport 50 and a rear baifle 52, with the rear support 50 and rearbaffle 52 grasping the rear end of the gate when it is closed.

A rubber gasket strip 56 is clamped on a front bafile plate 54 by nutsand bolts 58 and a retainer strip 60 of metal. This gasket strip '56extends to contact the top of the gate 26 and serves to prevent leakageand wipes the top of the gate as it extends.

Lifting lugs 62 are secured on the sides of the box 22 at each uppercorner as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 6. A triangular gusset 64 weldeddiagonally across each upper corner, and to the top inside of the box 22provides adequate strength here when a loaded bin 20 is lifted by thelugs 62.

A base plate 66 is welded to the bottoms of each leg 32 to distributethe weight. Since these bins 20 are square, all those of a same size maybe stacked one upon another and the reinforcement gusset 64 and baseplate 66 of adjacent bins 20 cooperate to adequately support such weightaggregation.

Stacked bins 20 may be keyed together to prevent shifting by welding alifting lug 68 at a 45 degree angle into each corner of the box 22 andprojecting through the top 28 as best shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Bycutting a slot 70 at a matching angle in the base plate 66 of each leg32, this slot 70 of an upper of two stacked bins 20 will engage the lug68 of the lower and prevent relative shifting as shown in FIG. 11.

This same result obtains if a common eye bolt 72 is threaded into atriangular reinforcing top plate 74 secured inside each corner of thetop 28 as shown in FIG. 13.

It will be noted from FIG. 1 that the prongs P of a fork lift vehicle Tare engageable low down on the bin 20 in either pairs of guide channels34 or 36. This means that these novel bins 20 can be stacked higher thanheretofore and can be supported for discharge to higher points.

In either case the center of gravity of the bin so supported is veryhigh but the danger of the load toppling is obviated because of thepreviously mentioned tubular e end enclosures formed at the ends of theguide channels 34 or 36 by the plates 38 or the underlying channels 34respectively.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A bin for handling by the prongs of a forklift truck, comprisingstructure defining a container having its bottom terminating in the formof a hopper having an opening in its bottom, a first pair ofhorizontally spaced channels mounted to said structure on a pair ofopposite sides of said opening and extending in one direction forengaging the prongs of said forklift truck to obtain said handling, aguide support frame positioned between said first pair of channels, agate slidably mounted within said guide support frame for slidingbetween said first pair of channels and sealing said opening, saidsliding gate having a pair of flanges extending along the longitudinaledges thereof, said guide support frame including a pair of spacedchannel members for receiving said pair of flanges of said sliding gate,a second pair of horizontally spaced channels mounted to said structureon a different horizontal level than said first pair of channels andextending at substantially right angles to said first pair of channelsand on a different pair of opposite sides of said opening for engagingsaid prongs when positioned substantially at right angles to said onedirection to obtain said handling the hopper opening, gate and guidesupport frame each being located substantially at the uppermost surfaceof said first pair of channels and at the lowermost surface of saidsecond pair of channels.

4 2. The bin as recited in claim 1 wherein said sliding gate extends toone side of said container when said opening is sealed so as to permitsliding of said gate without.

the necessity for crawling beneath said container.

3. The bin as recited in claim 1 wherein the lowermost pair of channelseffectively form a bottom surface for the uppermost pair of channelsthereof to prevent toppling from said prongs.

4. The bin as recited in claim 3 wherein said lowermost pair of channelshave bottom surfaces for preventing said bin from toppling from saidprongs.

, 5. The bin as recited in claim 1 wherein said second pair of channelsare positioned above said first pair of channels. References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,317,007 4/1943 Weniger 2225422,664,219 12/1953 Schmidt 22097 X r 2,989,008 6/1961 Lindstrom 222561 X3,083,879 4/1963 Coleman 222'561 X 3,085,707 4/1963 Tantlinger 220-97 X3,175,719 3/1965 Herndon 214 620 3,219,381 11/1965 Cox et a1. 29469FOREIGN PATENTS 1,037,302 3/ 1953 France. 1,333,605 6/ 1963 France.

846,542 8/ 1960 Great Britain. 981,332 1/1965 Great Britain. 320,166 4/1957 Switzerland.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

R. B; JOHNSON, AssistantvExaminer.

1. A BIN FOR HANDLING BY THE PRONGS OF A FORKLIFT TRUCK, COMPRISINGSTRUCTURE DEFINING A CONTAINER HAVING ITS BOTTOM TERMINATING IN THE FORMOF A HOPPER HAVING AN OPENING IN ITS BOTTOM, A FIRST PAIR OFHORIZONTALLY SPACED CHANNELS MOUNTED TO SAID STRUCTURE ON A PAIR OFOPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID OPENING AND EXTENDING IN ONE DIRECTION FORENGAGING THE PRONGS OF SAID FORKLIFT TRUCK TO OBTAIN SAID HANDLING, AGUIDE SUPPORT FRAME POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID FIRST PAIR OF CHANNELS, AGATE SLIDABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID GUIDE SUPPORT FRAME FOR SLIDINGBETWEEN SAID FIRST PAIR OF CHANNELS AND SEALING SAID OPENING, SAIDSLIDING GATE HAVING A PAIR OF FLANGES EXTENDING ALONG THE LONGITUDINALEDGES THEREOF, SAID GUIDE SUPPORT FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACEDCHANNEL MEMBERS FOR RECEIVING SAID PAIR OF FLANGES OF SAID SLIDING GATE,A SECOND PAIR OF HORIZONTALLY SPACED CHANNELS MOUNTED TO SAID STRUCTUREON A DIFFERENT HORIZONTAL LEVEL THAN SAID FIRST PAIR OF CHANNELS ANDEXTENDING AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST PAIR OF CHANNELSAND ON A DIFFERENT PAIR OF OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID OPENING FOR ENGAGINGSAID PRONGS WHEN POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID ONEDIRECTION TO OBTAIN SAID HANDLING THE HOPPER OPENING, GATE AND GUIDESUPPORT FRAME EACH BEING LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE UPPERMOST SURFACEOF SAID FIRST PAIR OF CHANNELS AND AT THE LOWERMOST SURFACE OF SAIDSECOND PAIR OF CHANNELS.